Victoria Park will get a facelift this summer to allow for increased accessibility and provide an example for the city's downtown streetscape master plan.

The community services committee approved the project plan Monday evening, reviewing the latest conceptual designs from Roth Associates Landscape Architecture Inc. With council approval on May 21, construction would begin this summer and hopefully be complete by the end of the construction season.

"This is meant to restore the strength of this park," Brian Roth said. "It will improve pedestrian movement through the park to make it safer and accessible. It will also implement the recommendations of the downtown streetscape design plan."

All sidewalks would be converted to concrete from the current mix of interlocking paving stones and expanded where needed to a three-metre width for accessibility. There would be some replanting to address trees that should be removed that are in poor health, and all benches and other features would be standardized.

"In the centre, we'd reinstate a circular paving area, enhanced with a ring of plantings, with the benches focused on the statue," Roth said. "We'd also install new benches on the midway points of walkways, but incorporate new light standards replaced in last few years."

Along the George Street side of Victoria Park, the city and Laurier Brantford will use this redevelopment opportunity to make the streetscape fit the master plan accepted by council last year. A plaza of sorts will be created by the university surrounding the main steps to the Carnegie Building, enhanced by a wider sidewalk with tree plantings.

The parking spaces along the east side of George Street in that block would be relocated to the west side along Victoria Park to allow the sidewalk to be pushed out, Roth explained.

Ward 3 Coun. Dan McCreary, expressing concerns from the heritage advisory committee, noted the plans show a lot of concrete. Roth explained there would be things done with saw cuts and also coloured concrete to make the sidewalks and pathways be a little less grey.

The thought was picked up by Ward 1 Coun. Jan Vanderstelt, though he came at it from a different perspective. Vanderstelt said the city hasn't received a single claim from someone tripping over any uneven paving stones.

"I can understand how the interlocking stone can cause accessibility issues, but I would have liked to have seen a cut to this budget," Vanderstelt said, referring to the challenge council will have with its 2014 budget. "That being said, I know council is chomping at the bit to give the park a facelift."